Thirteen Reasons Why Questions

Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.

Most novels about teens aren't written by teens (S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders being one exception.) Do you think Jay Asher creates realistic teenagers in this novel? Why or why not?

Is Hannah a sympathetic character? Do you like her? Do you feel for her?

Why is Clay on Hannah's list? Isn't it supposed to just be about people who led her to suicide?

The guys in this novel are shown in a pretty negative light. Guys, how do you feel about this? Girls?

Do you think Hannah's tapes will stay between the twelve people on the list, or will they be shown to the authorities and/or released to the public? Should they be? Why or why not?

Why doesn't Hannah call out Bryce and Jessica by name in Justin's second tape?

What did Mr. Porter do wrong? What could he have done better? What will he do with the tapes when he gets them?

Other works that deal with teen suicide include Willa Cather's short story "Paul's Case" and Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. How do these stories compare with Hannah's?

In Laurie Halse Anderson's novel Speak, main character Melinda Sordino becomes suicidal. What stops her from making the same tragic choice as Hannah Baker? What advice could Melinda give Hannah that might have helped her?